Forgotten
by Forest Elfin
Summary: COMP Mary Lynette has her mind wiped by a vampire with vengeance on his mind and together they go after Ash.
1. CHAPTER ONE : A SURPRISE IN THE DARK

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off! REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
  
  
CHAPTER ONE - A surprise in the dark  
  
"I'll be waiting Ash Redfern"  
  
Mary Lynette looked up from her computer at the clock on the wall. That's what she had told Ash, all those months ago. But could she wait for him forever? She was supposed to be applying for university, but it seemed that she should be talking this over with Ash. She felt a pang in her chest, she missed him still and going away to university seemed to be going away from him. What if he called while she was away, what if he even visited?  
  
She noticed the computer screensaver had appeared and knocked the mouse with a huff. She'd already received approval from several universities, it was just up to her to decide which one to choose. She looked at the clock again and found she'd been daydreaming for the last ten minutes. It was becoming obvious that Ash wasn't going to ring. In fact he hadn't contacted her once during their separation. Well, if he wasn't going to at least speak to her, he had no right to influence her decision right now. She typed in the final word on the letter and emailed it to the university with a defiant stamp on the keyboard.  
  
Whilst at university, Mary Lynette couldn't believe how wonderful the student lifestyle was and how she'd never wished for the freedom it gave before. Of course, she'd had to leave Mark and her sisters, but she was confident they'd be quite alright without her, even if Rowan insisted on calling her every week. It was a completely Night World free area in her mind, even though her logic told her that there would be countless numbers of them in her classes. She tried not to think about it too much. All the other girls in her dorm had steady boyfriends, that left her somewhat lonely, but Ash was still in her thoughts so she was never completely alone. It was probably this longing for Ash, although she'd never admit it to anyone, that drove to the roof of the dorm house most nights to look at the stars. The idea that Ash would probably look up at those same stars was comforting.  
  
The stars were bright tonight, and she could pick out several of the constellations without her telescope. It was whilst she was looking for the bottom of the plough, that she heard a shuffle behind her. "Who's there?"  
  
She cried, spinning around, hoping against hope that it could be Ash stalking in the shadows. No such luck though. As he moved into the moonlight, she knew instantly from the simple inhuman beauty of him that he was from the Night World.  
  
He crept towards her, his eyes fluctuating from green to silver, always alert, always predatorily. She looked at him in fear, knowing inexplicably that she was going to die this night. She froze as he tilted her head back and in her mind screamed out for Ash along that connection that took no notice of the distance separating them, as she felt the two sharp pricks of his fangs bite into her neck. 


	2. CHAPTER TWO : HEADACHE

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off! REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER TWO - Headache  
  
Ash Redfern was ashamed. He'd dialled in half of Mary Lynette's number five times now, but every time he got to the third or fourth number, his mind seemed to blank out on him. Why was he calling her? She probably has better things to do in Briar's Creek than sit by the phone waiting for you. His mind screamed at him, what if she'd forgotten about him or found someone else? What if she hated him?  
  
He put down the phone, it seeming blatantly obvious that he wasn't going to have the courage to call her this night, just like all the nights before this one. He felt empty without her beside him and sick when he saw any other of the Daybreakers touch hands or show affection. His insides churned whenever he thought of her and it was almost like his body was slowly dying without her.  
  
He gave up with the phone and wandered downstairs to play a game of pool. He sure could use the feeling of triumph when he beat James again. He was good at that. He broke off the balls and was just about to comment on how completely impossible and unlikely it would be that James would actually beat him when it seemed like his head was splitting open from the inside out. The pain was completely unbearable and shot spasms up and down his muscles as he sank to the floor. All he could see was Mary Lynette floating away from him and their connection dimming somehow and the pain of her loss. As James yelled for Thierry, Ash managed to mutter two words before slipped into unconsciousness.  
  
"Mare . . . trouble."  
  
He slipped in and out of darkness, always searching for Mary Lynette, but always her shadow eluded him. He went faster but seemed to fall farther behind and if he stopped an instant, it seemed he lost another part of her. When he finally regained consciousness, he found Thierry looking at him curiously from across the room. Instinctively, he tried immediately to sit up and start looking for her again but regretted it just as soon when the room spun again.  
  
"What happened?" Ash asked Thierry, noting the smirk that crossed his face.  
  
"You tell me, Ash. There's nothing physically wrong with you, and none of the psychics can find anything wrong with your mind. What do you think happened?"  
  
Ash's mind sifted through what had led him here and it was like a light turned on in the dark of his mind. Mary Lynette was in trouble and she needed him. Right now.  
  
"I'm coming." He muttered almost to himself as he tried sitting up slowly this time and managed to stagger towards the door. Thierry gave him a questioningly glance as he read Ash's thoughts and blocked his way with his arm. Ash looked up at him, letting the fear he felt for Mary Lynette flow into his eyes and the anger at her tormentor give his stance a grim determination. Thierry studied him for a moment then let him pass, but followed him out of the door. When Ash leaned against a nearby wall for support, Thierry motioned him into the main hall and into a nearby chair, Ash not having the energy to say anything sarcastic for a change.  
  
"Wait here." Thierry said, disappearing out of the door.  
  
Several minutes later, most of the Daybreakers that Ash knew of and quite a few that he didn't, filed into the room. Whilst Ash seemed surprised to see them all here together, all looking at him; Thierry just smiled.  
  
"I have to go to Mary Lynette." He said finally, as nobody looked to be volunteering any information on why they were here. Ash started to mutter something about stuffing Circle Daybreak and his current missions, only caring about Mary Lynette, expecting himself to have to fight for this.  
  
"We understand, Ash." Thierry began, nodding at all those seated in turn. "All here have soul mates and understand how this must feel to you. As soon as the psychics found what your mind brought up when you were unconscious, I gathered everyone together and we've been discussing it ever since. That's why you're leaving right now."  
  
At the mention of leaving, Ash lifted his head up in surprise and just looked at Thierry for several minutes. Thierry was always talking about how Daybreak was bigger and more important than any of them, yet he had almost encouraged Ash to go. He saw a sad look streak across Thierry's face as he looked at Hannah, and Ash remembered that Thierry did know exactly what he was feeling now.  
  
"Go, Ash." Thierry said to him, interrupting his line of thought. He got up to go and saw James and Poppy stood with bags in hands by the door.  
  
"What's going on? Do you still have sour grapes from all those lost pool games and want me out that bad?"  
  
James cocked an eyebrow and gave a confirmation glance to Poppy.  
  
"No, Ash, despite your sarcasm and cockiness you're still my cousin. That's why Poppy and I are going with you." 


	3. CHAPTER THREE : AWAKENING

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off! REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER THREE - AWAKENING  
  
Mary Lynette woke up feeling light headed and strangely aware of her surroundings. It was like seeing everything for the first time again, the moon was brighter and the stars clearer. She could see each individual leaf on each tree and see the texture and thousands of colours that made up their density. She could hear twigs snapping as a fox came from it's den a mile away and a cat hissing at something on the outskirts of town. She was slightly disturbed that she could smell the blood flowing in the veins of a nearby fox, but it seemed perfectly natural to her.  
  
Everything seemed sharper, which was probably why she heard the vampire sneaking up behind her. She spun inhumanly fast to see a vampire walking calmly towards her. He put his arms around her waist as if that's where they belonged and pulled her close. He gazed at her with those hungry green eyes from under a few loose strands of dark hair. She instinctively knew that she loved him and although she couldn't remember why, it didn't seem to matter.  
  
He kissed her, and as he did so, it seemed that their bodies fitted together perfectly in cliché. He held her protectively for several minutes as their minds touched briefly, and then they began to walk back through the forest hand in hand. She tried to remember who he was. He was someone important she knew, but everything about him eluded her. She tried remembering where she'd seen him before but failed. She tried a simpler thing like what she'd done yesterday, but again, it was blank. She tried to remember her name, blank. She could only feel two sensations, hunger and love for this vampire. Panicking slightly, she broke the silence.  
  
"Who am I?" She looked up at him, whilst they were walking.  
  
He smiled at her first, thinking back to the fight she'd put up when he'd changed her and was glad that he'd wiped her memory just before she died. She clearly had no idea of her past life, her sisters, her brother, her soul mate. He was glad. His revenge would work well. She also loved him, but why she did, he wasn't quite sure. Could it be the blood bond, or something stirrer from someplace else? Knowing he would have to completely fabricate a history for her, he began.  
  
"You know exactly who you are, Xanna. You're a vampire, like me and we've been together forever. We're soul mates you and I, and I love you more than anything else in the world. The only time we were apart was when he, Ash the human lover, kidnapped, tortured and tried to kill you. I found you as soon as I could and soon after, you went to sleep. You've been asleep for over a week now and I wasn't sure how much you would remember after the things he did to you. But we're together again now and that's all that matters."  
  
Tar remembered how Ash had killed his soul mate nearly a century ago. How he had seduced her, and then drained her. He'd tried to turn her, but Tar had interrupted him and she hadn't gone all the way. Tar had killed her that same night when she'd woken up. He had dreamed of finding Ash's soul mate for so long, it seemed like his entire life had been spent looking for her. At first all he had wanted was to torture and kill her, as quickly as possible, to do to Ash what he'd done to him. But when he'd actually found her, he'd fallen in love with her spirit, her resistance against him when she knew she had no chance. He'd found love in Mary Lynette and his vengeance at Ash at the same time. His soul mate had been named Xanna, and now he had named Mary Lynette that, so, after Ash had been killed by his own soul mate, he and Xanna could be together for eternity. It was the perfect revenge and blessing combined.  
  
Xanna was confused, she couldn't remember much of what the one she now called Tar had been talking about, only images of him. An ash blond vampire stalking towards her, biting her, she kicked him, but still he came. Startling beautiful as the moonlight shone through his hair, as he leaned down towards her where she had fallen. She shook the memory from her head. If Tar said that was what had happened then it must be true. One day, she and Tar would hunt down the one called Ash, and make him pay for what he had done to her. She may not remember exactly what that had been, but the way Tar looked at her when he thought she wasn't looking told her the story well enough. He would be sorry. Well, he wouldn't actually be sorry because he'd be dead. It was of little consequence. She looked over the city lights of Los Angeles from the landscape hill where they stood, and knew instinctively she was home once more.  
  
I'm hungry. She said to Tar, who looked back at her with an equal hunger and blood lust.  
  
Ash resides in the place vermin call Briar's Creek. First we feed, then we hunt.  
  
She smiled at his thoughts and agreed. Humans were vermin and as she felt her bloodlust rise, she felt her teeth lengthen and eyes become slightly silvery. She imagined a dozen ways to kill him, hurt him and those who loved him, and smiling with a huntress's eyes she cried:  
  
Let's go. And ran off towards the city, with Tar at her heels. 


	4. CHAPTER FOUR : PHONE CALL

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
  
  
CHAPTER FOUR  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
Ash looked at his cousin like he'd just suggested the sky was actually coloured green. He was sure the witches would something to say about the astral skies and goodness knows what else actually being green, but then again they didn't have a great sense of humour anyway.  
  
"I'm going alone." He said with as much force as he could manage in his current condition.  
  
"What if she's in trouble Ash. I mean you've made enough enemies over the centuries and you can't manage that kind of trouble by yourself. No matter how macho you think you are."  
  
James stared Ash down and since Ash was still recovering from his unconscious lapse, he won easily.  
  
"Fine." Ash said reluctantly. "Just don't get in the way."  
  
Poppy seemed the happiest out of the three, committing a small bounce of joy and hugging James tight.  
  
"We have a question, Ash."  
  
He turned around from his position halfway out of the doorway and looked back at James and Poppy in mid embrace. It stung his eyes looking at them and he just hoped they kept out his way. He lifted an eyebrow in response.  
  
"Where do we start?"  
  
"Yes Ash, calm down." Rowan said down the phone. "I'm sure she's fine, just fallen over or something." She tried not to let the concern etch into her voice for fear of worrying Ash further. As if that were possible.  
  
"But I don't know where she is, Rowan. She could be anywhere." His voice was beginning to sound hopeless.  
  
"But I do, Ash. She's at the university of Las Vegas. She left last summer."  
  
"Why didn't you call me, for God's sake?" Ash snapped.  
  
"Because you didn't seem interested Ash. You walk out and don't call for months, and for a start we had no idea where you were." Ash didn't say anything for a moment, letting the guilt of Mary Lynette's situation etch a little deeper into his soul. If only he'd called her, let her know where he was. If only he'd done something more, anything .  
  
"Ash.Ash are you still there?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Rowan. Don't worry about me. I'll find her I tell you, and bring her back to us."  
  
He related his newly acquired mobile number to Rowan, so that if they found out anything, they could contact him immediately. He said his goodbyes and hung up.  
  
Ash turned to face James and Poppy.  
  
"We're going to Vegas." 


	5. CHAPTER FIVE : JOURNEYS

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER FIVE  
  
Mary Lynette left the empty husk of a man behind a garbage can and strolled down to meet Tar. She could feel his presence incredibly strongly now, a shining ball of light beside her. She'd managed to sate her hunger for now, but the call of bloodlust just kept calling. She'd fed maybe five or six times that night, stalked and killed them all for the thrill of the hunt. They'd also raided a clothes stall to get her some better clothes that the ones she'd woken up in. The security guard had been so helpless it had almost been too easy. Almost. She felt strong and in control, complete in a sense. Tar picked up the keys from his latest victim's pocket and they strolled over to his late car. Xanna climbed into the passenger side of the large BMW and felt the purr of the engine beneath the bonnet.  
  
How long She asked him.  
  
Couple of hours or so. She began counting down the minutes until she could kill the ash coloured one. How would she kill him, she wondered? Get some rest. Tar said through the midst of her mind and she climbed into the back. She laid down on the back seat and stretched out her legs. Her legs looked like they'd been painted black, but in reality they were tight leather pants. She kicked her boots onto the floor and used her long leather coat as a blanket. She knew she wouldn't feel the cold, but she could imagine the soft leather being Tar's skin against hers and she loved that feeling.  
  
He has three sisters in Briar's Creek and an adopted human brother.  
  
Tar mentioned to her as she was drifting off to sleep. She would kill them all and then her and Tar would perhaps wipe out the entire town for befriending them. After that, her and Tar could do as they pleased, moving from one town to the next taking and feeding on who they pleased. Xanna fell asleep thinking about the ways they could kill all the humans in Briar's Creek.  
  
Tar smiled at the waves coming from Xanna's mind, eagerly anticipating the bloodbath he knew she would create. She had turned out to be quite a hand full, as fiery as the colour of her hair. She had an insatiable thirst to kill and feed, which even he was having trouble keeping up with. He had begun to ponder just how much of her actually had been human to start with, due to the natural talent for killing she had and the amount of strength and speed she could call upon at will. Most fledglings were uncomfortable in light and weak at fighting; but she, she was amazing. She was maybe a day since turned at most. Death reincarnated as she swung her blows, easily overcoming the most agile of vermin. But which of the Nightworlders did she have in her family tree? She had the speed of the shape shifters and the cunning of the witches, the power of the werewolves and the thirst for death of the vampires, she had it all.  
  
He looked back at her still form, the slow even breaths of her chest rising and falling to a rhythm only he could hear. He wondered if perhaps they were soul mates, they were so close to being. He pulled the car over, deciding to sleep away the harsh hours of the morning so they could arrive at dusk and be at full strength. He got out of the car and opened up the back door. He snuggled his way onto the seat, shutting the curtains as he did so, wary of morning approaching. She turned over, opening her eyes and smirking as he pushed his way onto the seat beneath her. He used his jacket as a cushion and settled down to sleep. It was hard to relax, feeling her body pressed so close to his. As if reading his thoughts, she opened her eyes and looked at him.  
  
I'm not tired anymore  
  
She said to him, a hungry look in her eyes. He grinned coyly and she slid her hand up his chest, sending his nerves tingling.  
  
You didn't really think I wanted to sleep did you?  
  
She raised an eyebrow at him. What did you want to do then?  
  
This  
  
  
  
Tar pulled her even closer to him and kissed her hard, feeling his nerves shred with emotion. Xanna kissed him back and thought of no one but him. 


	6. CHAPTER SIX : DREAMS

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER SIX - Dreams  
  
Rowan woke in a cold sweat that morning, hyperventilating. Hearing her mental distress, her sister Jade wandered in from next-door, saw the look in her eyes, and called Kestrel. She sat holding her sister, trying to get her to calm down so she could tell her what was wrong.  
  
"It was my dream."  
  
Jade looked into Rowan's eyes and she stuttered out those words. Dreams were taken very seriously in a family of witches. Kestrel strolled in, unimpressed to be woken so early.  
  
"Another bad dream, sister?" She said almost sarcastically.  
  
"Mary Lynette. is coming here. with blood on her hands.she's coming here."  
  
"But that's great isn't it? She's coming home!"  
  
Rowan looked up at Jade. She was so young. So young and naïve.  
  
"She's coming.to kill.us."  
  
Jade looked crest fallen and even Kestrel looked more serious than ever before. Rowan's dreams had never been wrong. Colour was returning to Rowan's face as she calmed down slightly, but she was still white from the look in Mary Lynette's eyes from her dream.  
  
"Phone. Ash." She stuttered out. "Send Mark away to.keep him safe."  
  
"Do you really think she'd be able to kill us? I mean she's only human." Kestrel looked at Rowan, willing her to be wrong for the first time.  
  
"Not anymore."  
  
Ash had arrived in Las Vegas University (through the hire of Thierry's private plane) with James and Poppy only several hours ago to find Mary had been missing for almost two days already. He'd collapsed on a park bench outside and was trying desperately to think of somewhere that she might have gone. James and Poppy were talking in hushed whispers on the next bench about their concerns about Ash.  
  
"Do you really think we'll find her?" Poppy looked up at James hopefully.  
  
"Well, the odds are small, but I don't think Ash is ever going to stop looking until he finds her, so I guess the odds are slightly better for Ash. I know I wouldn't." James looked at Poppy, remembering the time Poppy had been taken from him. It had only been for little over a day, but every moment had been torture for every cell of his being. Just a single thought of what Ash must be going through after two whole days, kept him there beside his cousin. No matter how sarcastic or annoying he was.  
  
A police car drove past at a slow pace, then seeing the dodgy looking people sat staring into space on the nearby benches, it pulled over. A rather dangerous looking plain clothed officer approached Ash.  
  
"I was wondering if we might have your co-operation for a moment sir."  
  
This would probably be intimidating to any normal human, but then again, Ash wasn't human.  
  
"What do you want?" Ash said, bored already. The only thing that kept the cop alive was he couldn't think of a way to dispose of him in public view.  
  
"We're looking for these two criminals."  
  
He held up a black and white still from a security camera and Ash's heart left right from his chest into his mouth.  
  
James  
  
  
  
James looked up from his conversation and saw Ash staring at the photograph in the cop's hand. Ash seemed frozen to the spot and the longer he stayed that way, the more guilty he would seem to the cop. He got up from the chair.  
  
"I think you should take this, in case you remember anything else." James said sternly to the cop, trying to initiate his voice into the cop's mind.  
  
"I think you should take this, in case you remember anything else." The cop said obediently, handing over the photo and heading back to his car.  
  
James caught a glimpse of the photo. It was quite obviously Mary Lynette there, even though her back was to the camera, but who the other vampire was he had no idea. It was also plain that they were in the midst of robbing the store.  
  
Ash's phone rung and for a moment he couldn't remember where it was and searched each pocket carefully. He answered it hopefully, hoping his sisters knew something about her whereabouts. He was right.  
  
"Ash. We need you to come home. Now."  
  
"But what about Mary Lynn? I haven't found her yet."  
  
"She's coming here. And Ash, Rowan dreamed this." Ash mentally nodded and started towards the car.  
  
"Bring some friends. Rowan says she's coming here to kill us."  
  
"That's ridiculous. Why would she do anything like that? She loves you guys."  
  
"Rowan won't say anything more, she's too upset. Just come quickly, she thinks it's going to happen before nightfall."  
  
"I'll be there, Jade. Don't worry."  
  
"Ash."  
  
"Yes, Jade."  
  
"I'm scared."  
  
"So am I Jade, so am I."  
  
He put the phone down and looked behind him to reverse the car, finding James and Poppy already in the back seat.  
  
"Where are we going now, Ash? Did your sisters tell you where she is?" Poppy said with anticipation.  
  
"I'm going home." Ash looked back to the road and started breaking speed laws as soon as he reached the outskirts of town. 


	7. CHAPTER SEVEN : ARRIVAL

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER SEVEN - ARRIVAL  
  
Dusk was falling when Xanna and Tar reached the outskirts of Briar's Creek. They parked the BMW under a grove of birch, deciding it best to approach on foot. They stalked through the night towards the old manor house at Tar's direction and when they came in sight of it, paused for a moment. Xanna looked at the curious familiarity of it. The old porch on the front. The cramped feeling of sitting together on the swing in the front. Knocking on the front door and seeing a beautiful vampire pulling her close to him.  
  
He brought you here after he kidnapped you  
  
He interrupted her line of thought and demolished the idea that they could be memories of anything other than her torture. Despite her instincts that said otherwise, she instantly grew a hate of this house and it's owners. She would burn it to the ground.  
  
Rowan sat at the kitchen table surrounded by her close family. The only ones missing were on their way. She shuddered as she sensed Mary Lynette walk straight through the first guard she and her sisters had constructed thoroughly around the house. The second guard was stronger but again she passed through unconcerned. The third was supposed to be impenetrable and a bead of sweat ran down Rowan's forehead. She sensed Mary Lynette stop and consider the barrier. Rowan looked over to Jade and Mark, nervously holding each other and Kestrel, for once openly concerned, despite the shield of calm over her. Mark had been determined to stay, deciding he wouldn't leave unless Jade did to. The sisters had decided to make a stand against whatever it was they were facing here, in their own home, rather than being chased. Kestrel looked up at Rowan's gaze and they spoke privately.  
  
She's coming isn't she.  
  
She just passed the second barrier. Kestrel began to sweat.  
  
She'll never make it through. Don't worry, Rowan. She took her sister's hand. Kestrel tried to smile optimistically for her sisters' sakes, but it was hard to hide her true feelings in such a tense atmosphere. Ash will come. Kestrel tried to bore confidence on Ash, but the thought of Ash coming to the rescue seemed a fantasy. She just hoped Jade and Mark could escape.  
  
Xanna looked at the barrier, fascinated by the curls of smoke swirling around the house. She sensed it was dangerous to her, but she did not care. She had no concept of death, for she had never experienced anything of it before. She had no reason to be afraid. She looked back at Tar.  
  
Wait for me here. This is my party.  
  
I'll be waiting He said to her, having no doubts that she couldn't handle three witches and a human.  
  
She turned back, just before she entered the smoke and kissed him, a moment of their earlier passion resurfacing. Watch my back  
  
  
  
Always She smiled. Maybe she did have something to lose after all.  
  
Xanna turned back to the smoke and just imagined the smoke becoming a part of her. She was a part of the smoke and she could become it if she wished. She slipped through and walked up the steps to the porch, letting the last swirls of smoke disembark themselves from her. The view from the porch seemed familiar to her and feelings of déjà vu left shivers running up and down her spine. She reminded herself that this was the house of her torturers and she would destroy it. The shivers ceased. She knocked once on the door, offering a twisted sense of courtesy.  
  
Hearing nothing, she jumped and twisted in mid air, delivering a heavy kick to the middle of door, sending it flying inwards several metres. She stood on the threshold and tilted her head slightly, waiting to see if anyone would come to greet her arrival. Thinking them terribly rude, she stepped over the broken door, wondering what kind of a fight the filthy witches would put up, if any. Well, if they put up a good fight, it would draw the ash coloured one all the quicker. How convenient. 


	8. CHAPTER EIGHT : THE PARTY BEGINS

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER EIGHT - THE PARTY BEGINS  
  
The family round the table all jumped from their chairs when the door crashed in. Rowan had hoped the last barrier would at least buy some time for Ash to come. It seemed that Mary Lynette had become something beyond anything she could deal with and combined with the strong presence outside the house, they might be more than a match for Ash as well. She offered a last prayer to the Goddess and prepared for the end to come.  
  
Xanna stalked through the corridors, sensing each board, brick and nail. They were in the kitchen, no wait, they'd moved into the basement. How convenient that they should move into a place with no other exits or escape routes. Xanna grinned in anticipation of the witches blood in her throat, but was interrupted by a hurried and whispered chant of warding around the door to the basement. She moved towards it and could feel the magick radiating off it like heat. She reached and twisted the knob, but feeling it jammed, knocked it right off it's hinges. She moved down the stairs into the gloom, smelling acutely the pathetic hiding places of her prey. Well, she had plenty of time to play.  
  
Do the witches want to come out to play? She broadcast out around her. The strongest witch was hidden just underneath the stairs, the wild one behind a crate, the smallest one inside an old chest and the human vermin was behind it. She blocked herself from the witches' thoughts, stalked silently to the bottom of the stairs, and moved towards the chest.  
  
Rowan could feel Mary Lynette move to the middle of the stairs and pause, ferreting out their hiding places as if they were stood in broad daylight. Her presence suddenly disappeared from her perception and for a brief moment she wondered if perhaps she'd left the house. It was very brief and wishful thinking.  
  
Ash hit ninety miles an hour on the freeway leading to Briar's Creek and skidded so dangerously around a corner, that the car tilted to one side as they turned. James and Poppy exchanged nervous glances, hoping to at least survive to the place Ash called home.  
  
Thoughts were rushing around in Ash's head. Jade was ludicrous, Mary Lynette would never dream of hurting any of them, she must just be confused. There was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that he was missing some important piece in this jigsaw and once he found it, everything would make sense. It all seemed to be linked the fuzzy image of the second vampire in the department store. He kept hearing the horror and fear in Jade's voice. Rowan's dreams are never wrong she had kept saying, Mary Lynette is coming here to kill us. He tried to relax, tell himself this was all a misunderstanding, but an image of Mary Lynette kept appearing in front of his eyes asking him why he hadn't been there for her when she'd needed him the most. He felt tears appear in his eyes, and wiped them quickly with the edge of a sleeve. When he came in sight of the town, he speeded up instead of slowing down. 


	9. CHAPTER NINE : BATTLE OF THE WITCHES

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER NINE - BATTLE OF THE WITCHES  
  
Xanna moved to the chest and seeing an old padlock nearby, clipped it onto the latch silently. One down, two to go as they say. The human didn't count as one. She moved towards the stronger witch and stopped. These witches knew this layout far better than she did. Let me swipe that advantage from you, she thought and turned on the light switch.  
  
She instantly saw what she'd smelt all along and dived towards the stronger witch. She let her appearance sink in for half an instant and delivered a swift snap punch, knocking her unconscious. The witch folded inwards and Mary Lynette caught her deftly before she collapsed on the floor. The increasing flow of blood from the head wound held appeal, but she resisted. She bit down deep into the witch's neck. She drew out her life spirit, feeling the pleasure it gave as she sucked the filthy witch's lifeforce out of her body. She felt rather than heard the other witch coming for her, and heard the human rapidly trying to free the third witch from the chest. He had no chance.  
  
She spun to face her new opponent and blocked her with the first victim. The wild one paused, a great sadness in her eyes.  
  
"You don't want to do this Mary Lynette."  
  
" Yes I do."  
  
"Mary Lynette. Please. Why are you doing this?"  
  
"Because I will have my vengeance on the ashen one. Because I enjoy every moment of it. Because I can." Xanna licked a drop of blood from the first witch's neck.  
  
Xanna measured her up, this one would be stronger in combat, her muscles were more developed and limbs more defined. Perhaps in another time and place she might have made a good member of her pack, quick in her movements and strong in her throws. She still had that vermin characteristic though, the one that allowed Xanna to win all fights. Vermin had regard for their own lives. They never took the necessary risks to gain what they wanted.  
  
She feinted dangerously high, then while her left side was vulnerable, chucked the first witch far to the right. The wild one was distracted long enough for Xanna to punch below her guard, knocking a phone out of the witch's pocket. Whilst the wild one tried to regain her breath and balance, and was preoccupied by losing her only means of gaining aid, she spun and kicked her in the centre of the chest, much in the same way she'd kicked the front door in. She looked down at the phone again and an idea formed in her mind.  
  
She ignored the whining human as she picked up the phone and started to systematically memorise the numbers in her memory. She'd always had a head for numbers she sensed. These new contacts could provide interesting hunts for her and Tar. She paused when she reached the newest number, entitled 'Ash'. She pressed call and waited. The human persisted to whine. Without even looking at her target, she threw a round punch to his left temple with the side of her wrist. The human collapsed. The whining had ceased.  
  
When Ash heard his phone ringing, he stopped the car erratically, thinking that if they were calling him, everything must be fine. James and Poppy nearly flew through the windscreen.  
  
"Hello. HELLO" Ash nearly shouted the down the phone.  
  
"Hello," replied a confident sounding voice.  
  
"Mary Lynette? Is that you? Are you alright? Where's Rowan? Where have you."  
  
"Shut up. I thought we'd play a little game. A little pay back shall we say. I'll tell you what I can see in front of me, right now shall I and then you can decide if you want to play with me. Okay? I see; one witch locked up in a chest, with a limited air supply in it, beginning to hyperventilate; one witch plastered against a wall, limbs in very awkward places and one witch laid still on the floor with blood flowing from her skull. I also see one vermin tied to the chair across the room, unconscious now. Now what shall I do with them I wonder?"  
  
"Leave them the hell alone, whoever you are. What have you done with Mary Lynette?"  
  
"Silly me, forgetting introductions. I am Xanna and you are the one called Ash by vermin I recall."  
  
Ash stared at the phone. He had killed Xanna over a century ago and it was one of the things he'd most regretted since he'd joined Circle Daybreak.  
  
"Well, Ash. Since you don't seem to remember me, why don't you come on over? I've started the party, but I'm sure that we could use a few more guests. The more the merrier. And tell those friends of yours to come on in as well, or I might decide to play a little game with one of your sisters. See you in a while ashen one."  
  
Ash looked dumbstruck at the phone. One vampire staked one hundred years ago had single handled three vampires with witch powers. He got out of the car and motioned James and Poppy out of the car. Without even looking behind him as he walked towards the house, he added,  
  
"Whatever happens, stay behind me. She wants extra guests at the party."  
  
"Who's she?" James asked hopefully, wondering what it was they were facing.  
  
"A vampire I killed over a century ago." 


	10. CHAPTER TEN : INSANE REALITY

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER TEN - INSANE REALITY  
  
Xanna perched on the edge of a nearby crate like a cat. She sensed the human rising from consciousness and groaned. She would have to knock him out again; vermin were so persistent.  
  
"Mary, if you'll just listen to me. You don't want to do this. You're my sister. I love you."  
  
She turned to look at him; barely able to raise his head from the blow she'd previously delivered. He was talking complete rubbish. She wondered why she hadn't killed him to start with. It was an interesting question, but not for now. She rose from her perch, bored and ran a sharp nail down the line of his cheek. A drop of blood followed it down and she licked it from his face, savouring it's taste.  
  
"Don't make me angry vermin, or might decide you're worth more to me as a travel snack."  
  
She grinned at him and walked back to her seat. Just before she reached it, when her back was still to the stairs, she sensed the ashen one and his friends descending the stairs. He and his friends would be no match for her. She paused and let him look at the back of coat.  
  
"Look, whoever you are and whatever I've done, just let these people go and tell me where Mary Lynette is and I'm sure we can sort something out."  
  
She let him think a moment as he stopped at the bottom of the stairs, about fifteen feet from where she stood. She turned slowly to face him and let his utter confusion and surprise draw into the core of her being.  
  
"Well you see ashen one, after what you did to me, I figured it was only polite to return the visit. You hurt me and mine, I hurt you and yours. All's fair in love and war. Don't look so worried ashen one, the only thing I want is for this whole town to burn to the ground and the rivers run red with you and your sister's blood."  
  
Ash stood dumbfounded, unable to speak or move. In an effort to regroup his mind, he looked around the room. He saw Rowan cold and bleeding, Kestrel's limbs twisted out of joint as she had been thrown against the room, Mark bound to the chair, his head flowing with blood from a blow and a thin line of blood flowing down his cheek. He could also hear a weak hyperventilating sound coming from a locked chest.  
  
He looked back at Mary Lynette. She was the same but different as people say. Her red hair wild around her shoulders instead of pulled back, a tight black shirt emphasizing her curves instead of hiding them, a flowing leather jacket behind complimented by tight black pants. She was inhumanly beautiful, her face white like porcelain. Under any other circumstances he would have seen the beauty in her, but right now she was terrifying. How could she have done something like this? It couldn't possibly be her could it? It must have been someone else, that other vampire he tried to convince himself.  
  
Xanna watched him study her long and hard, then the room and back to her again. She felt the stronger witch stir and open her eyes. She walked over to her and tilted her head towards her.  
  
"Watch how it easy it will be for me to kill your brother."  
  
She saw fear rise in the witch's eyes as she let one finger dawdle on her scalp, letting the drops of blood linger on her fingers. She licked them one by one. She turned back to the ashen one. She drank the fear from them like wine.  
  
"Ever since you tortured my soul, I've been waiting to do this."  
  
She swung a kick with all her weight at his chest and knocked him several metres backwards. She regained her composure and looked at the stunned faces looking at her from halfway up the stairs. She gave them a little wave.  
  
"Mary." The ashen one began, trying to get up, but before he could get up, she gave him a right hook into his back, knocking the wind out of his lungs.  
  
Tar She said loudly. Come and join the final fireworks of the party.  
  
She felt his approval and sat watching the ashen one try to get up. She felt Tar's presence draw near and she turned to watch him deliver a superb kick knocking the ashen one's friends down the rest of the stairs like dominoes.  
  
She smiled as he walked towards her and let the pleasure broadcast itself to the ashen one as he put his arms around her and kissed her. She savoured the hurt in his eyes.  
  
"Having fun, Xanna?"  
  
"Well you know I am, Tar. I always do. Well, I'm getting rather bored now and the witches have provided me with some prey that could make interesting hunting. What do you say we hit and run?" 


	11. CHAPTER ELEVEN : EXPLANATION

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER ELEVEN - EXPLANATION  
  
Xanna strolled towards the ashen one, just as he managed to regain his feet.  
  
"Care for another round?" She asked coyly.  
  
She snapped her head around to see the ashen one's friends stirring, then gaining the top of the stairs as quickly as possible.  
  
"Guess they didn't like the party?" She felt them leave the building.  
  
Tar smiled at the pain they were obviously causing Ash, pleased that he was finally paying for his crimes.  
  
Ash looked up at the empty stairwell, he hoped they'd get away. Whatever had happened to Mary Lynette, he didn't want them to die as well. They had to tell Thierry all Ash's contacts had been compromised. He thought what would happen if Mary Lynette and the other found their way into Thierry's mansion. They could definitely kill all the humans and also a good percentage of the vampires he would think. He thought of all the death they could cause and he knew what he had to do. He watched them together, feeling his soul being slowly torn apart inside his body. The other vampire seemed familiar, although he was obviously connected to Xanna, the girl he'd killed over a century ago somehow. She had called him Tar. That seemed familiar as well. He saw where Tar was touching her and his vision became hazy, his building fury putting red spots in the corners of his sight.  
  
Xanna seeing the change in Ash's stance, put herself between the ashen one and Tar and took most of the force of the blow. She flew backwards and smashed against the far wall.  
  
Tar's fury over spilled now and he growled at Ash. They began a dance of blows that was almost beautiful, each knowing the other's moves and blocking before the other even thought of it. Ash may have been stronger, older and more powerful, but Tar could draw on the amount of fury he'd held against Ash for over a hundred years and that made him strong. They were quite evenly matched now, trading blow for blow and ducking and jumping, twisting and turning to a dance only they could hear the music to.  
  
Ash managed to throw a blow underneath Tar's guard and knock him against a wall. Ash pinned him there. "What did you do to Mary Lynette?" He yelled at Tar, shouting in desperation. Tar grinned. "What did you do last night Ash? I hunted with the strongest vampire I've ever seen and fed off the dying soul essences of seven men." Tar's eyes glowed silver, remembering the bloodbath Xanna had caused.  
  
"Do you know what I did then, Ash Redfern?" We celebrated our passions in the back of a BMW about half an hour south of here. She loves me."  
  
Ash grabbed handfuls of Tar's hair and slammed his head against the wall.  
  
"What have you done to her!" Ash yelled at the top of his physical and mental voice.  
  
"I ravaged her, turned her, brain washed her, and now she loves me. She loves me, and only me. Now you know what it feels like to have your soul mate turned against you, like you did to me over a century ago."  
  
Poppy and James ran as best they could, battered and bruised towards the car. Once inside, James reached for the phone and dialled Thierry's number.  
  
"Thierry Descouedres."  
  
"Thierry, it's James. Mary Lynette. She's gone mad. She's taken out the witches and she's gonna kill Ash. She's gonna burn the entire town."  
  
"I'll be there in half an hour."  
  
Thierry put down the phone and motioned to the anxious faces of the surrounding Daybreakers.  
  
"Ash needs help. We're going to Briar's Creek."  
  
He just hoped his Concorde jet could reach it in time for there to be something left to save. 


	12. CHAPTER TWELVE : ESCAPE

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER TWELVE - ESCAPE  
  
Ash stared vacantly at Tar's face.  
  
"She has no past, Ash. That's why she's so strong. She has no memories and no concept of death, she doesn't see that she's killing these people, just that she's squashing them like ants under her shoe. I don't even think she realises she's a vampire really." A lost expression crossed Tar's face.  
  
" She has no pack, as she thinks of it in an instinctive way, except for me that is. When I die, she'll only come after you threefold. Killing me will drive her to distraction. I'm the last link she has to her past. You only have two choices, start running or kill her now."  
  
Ash's mind was completely shutting down. His sisters were dead, his soul mate had turned into a savage huntress and wanted him dead, and his cousin had abandoned him when he needed him the most. Well, he supposed it wasn't as if he deserved for anything to go right after the things he'd done. He had nothing left to live for. He let Tar stand against the wall for a moment, then dragging up all his frustration and rage, drove a stake into Tar's chest, about two centimetres below his heart. He didn't deserve a quick death and sagged to the floor. Knowing Tar wasn't going anywhere, Ash moved over to Mary Lynette. She would be awake in a few minutes and she would kill him.  
  
Ash? Ash? Are you still alive? James almost whispered, worried if she might overhear.  
  
Yes you idiot Ash's sarcasm returned with a smile to his face.  
  
Thierry's coming  
  
How long?  
  
Twenty minutes. Keep her occupied.  
  
Ash's relief that Thierry was coming was clear and the fact that James hadn't abandoned him added to it, but how could he prevent Mary Lynette from leaving for twenty whole minutes? He realised he had his back to her and slowly turned around. She stood in a fighting crouch, already awake and alert.  
  
"Think you can last twenty minutes, ashen one?" Ash moved into his own fighting stance.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Ash let his need for her to survive fill him with determination. She could only have been turned a few days ago. He was old, powerful and incredibly angry. He would subdue her and take her to Thierry's mansion.  
  
Wrong.  
  
She smiled at him, in a wicked grin and let his surprise that she'd read his inner thoughts draw to her advantage. She struck first and she was incredibly fast. She struck at him with quick short stabs, probing for weaknesses. He clumsily tried to block, not wanting to hurt her and all the while taken aback at her strength. She began wearing him down with a bombardment of mental blows, distracting him from her physical ones.  
  
She struck through a blow to his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He doubled over and taking advantage, she slammed her knee into his face. His nose broke, showering the floor in blood and he collapsed against the far wall. She walked to him slowly, smelling his determination. Smelling his fear.  
  
"I don't smell vermin blood on you ashen one. Have you gone soft?"  
  
"I don't feed on humans anymore. I changed for you." He felt the scent of fresh human blood on her clothes. There were at least seven different scents and a small light dawned on Ash about her strength.  
  
"Aww. Too bad I don't care. I was never yours to change for. I was always Tar's." She felt Tar's life waning, she needed to hurry this up.  
  
"I expected much better from you ashen one. I'm really quite disappointed in you. I didn't really expect much from the witches, but Tar said you were quite the warrior."  
  
"Everything Tar told you was a lie." She smacked him across the face and felt him losing unconsciousness.  
  
"Well, ashen one. I hope your blood satisfies me more than you have."  
  
She struck quickly and accurately at Ash's neck and bit deep. But something happened then that pulled her into Ash's very being and everything became silver fire and electric blue around her.  
  
She was inside Ash's mind, she realised. Instinctively she tried to thrash away from it, despite the warm affectionate feelings that tried to hold her back. Blasting out with anything and everything she could muster, she tried to free herself from her previous torturer. This was some trick of his to get in control. She wouldn't let him, she would not. Not again.  
  
Mary Lynette Ash said quietly to her, as their minds touched slightly.  
  
My name is Xanna, can't you even get that right? I'm not your soul mate. Tar told me about her and she was a weak and pathetic example of vermin, that's why she's dead. Let me out, you filthy vermin scum or I'll screw you up from the inside out!  
  
Listen to me. Tar lost his soul mate a long time ago. I killed her and I truly regret it now. I've changed. He worked his revenge on me by turning you and wiping your memory, but I think he underestimated you. If you want your memory back, all you have to do is want it.  
  
Xanna screamed, not wanting to believe anything that this, this vermin were telling her. She blew up inside his mind, letting the savagery out from within her and forced herself out of Ash's mind, grabbing for Tar's waning life thread and hanging onto it. She opened her eyes and lifted her mouth from his neck, surprised to have stopped feeding on him. Never mind, she'd find different prey that tasted better. Ash's form crumpled to the floor. She felt Tar's strength running low and knelt by his still form.  
  
I love you Xanna, no matter what happens, remember that. Please. Now go. There is a town about five hours north. In the first car park, there is a land rover with the keys taped under the front wheel. Drive to the coast and go to the edge and down the steps. GO HOME!! You'll find my brothers there. You'll be safe there. Take my power before those vermin do. Please, Xanna. Do this last thing for me.  
  
I love you Tar.  
  
Knowing instinctively what he wanted, she leaned down to kiss him and as she did, she felt something flow into her and felt Tar deflate. He was truly dead. Tears blurred her vision as she ran out of the basement and out of the house, running north. She kept running and took a flying leap over a large stream. After her initial fury had died down a bit, she collapsed under a willow tree and sobbed. The ashen one confused her, he had awoken strange feelings in her, feelings that belonged to Tar. She could also remember things, things that seemed like reading a picture book to her, knowing things and seeing them, but not really through her own eyes. She could feel memories burning at her insides, wanting to break free. She used their fire against them, as she would in combat, and let them burn themselves out.  
  
She was Xanna, wild and free like the night. Not a care in the world. But she'd left Tar's body behind for that human vermin and they would pay for that. She didn't know what it was Tar had given her, but she would treasure it, whatever it was. She heard his words reverberating in her mind. GO HOME he had told her. She would. She had loved him dearly and she would remember him. Stiff with resolve, she got up and began running again into the night. 


	13. CHAPTER THIRTEEN : RESCUE

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - RESCUE  
  
Ash lay on the floor of the house, feeling his blood flow onto the floor, mingling with that of his sisters. It seemed a strange way to end when he'd done this to so many others with never a second thought. Especially being killed by Mary Lynette. He hoped one day she might remember him fondly and that her fury and bloodlust would be sate.  
  
  
  
Ash?  
  
Rowan  
  
Don't let go Ash. Not yet. It's not the end. He closed his eyes and let the darkness take him.  
  
The jet landed in a clearing in the forest about a mile from the house. Thierry and Hannah started running towards the house, followed by Rashel, Quinn, Thea and Eric. He'd managed to convince about half of the Daybreakers to remain behind, in case something should happen. He leaped over the broken door, searching, preying for life signs. They were in the basement.  
  
Thierry picked up a nearby wrench and motioned Hannah behind him. The scene he found chilled him. James and a human were desperately trying to break the lock on a chest and Poppy was floating between Rowan, Kestrel and Ash's crumpled forms trying hopelessly to do anything that might help. Thierry hit the padlock as hard as he could with the wrench, but nothing happened. He hit it again, letting out a small part of his fury, it snapped. He lifted the lid to find Jade inside, deathly white. He lifted her out quickly and passed her to her waiting soul mate, sure he would look after her.  
  
Rowan seemed indifferent to her neck wound, and was desperately trying to move towards Kestrel. Ash's bleeding from a neck wound had stemmed itself, but Thierry expected the blood loss might kill him.  
  
Quinn. Take the witches and the human back to the jet. Go. Now.  
  
Quinn hesitated for an instant, and then signalled to Rashel to help him carry the witches back to the plane. He looked momentarily back at Ash, but it seemed Thierry had other plans for him.  
  
Thea moved towards Ash and placed a cold hand on his neck. Holding tightly to Eric's hand also, she whispered a few words. She looked up at Thierry and he knew what she meant. He didn't want to be healed.  
  
Ash. You have to help Mary Lynette. She's confused, angry and very dangerous. You are the only one who can get through to her. If you die, she will die to. Do you want that?   
  
Thierry motioned to Thea and she once again laid her hand on Ash's neck. The open wound healed over and the internal bleeding stopped. Ash opened his eyes. He felt.better, in a sense. No longer like his life was streaming out of him. Not at full strength; but functional enough. Thierry helped him to his feet.  
  
You have to find her, Ash. Before she kills again  
  
Ash looked into Thierry's eyes. This seemed to be advice, but he felt it's warning sharp enough. Mary Lynette was exceptionally dangerous and would be hunted by any vampire hunters who saw her. Ash turned to leave, but Thierry put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
If you can render her not dangerous to anyone, phone me and I'll bring you back to the mansion.  
  
Thank you  
  
Ash left the house and followed the tug of his heart. 


	14. CHAPTER FOURTEEN : LOST AND FOUND

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - LOST AND FOUND  
  
Xanna ran like she'd never ran before, as fast and straight as possible. The sun would rise soon, she'd been running for what seemed like forever and a half. Whilst running, she could concentrate on jumping over fallen logs, dodging branches and thorns. She had no room to think about who she was, who the ashen one was and what her memory would tell her if she asked.  
  
She saw lights ahead and automatically steered away from them, not ready to deal with their vermin owners. She was concentrating so hard on getting away from the lights that as she gained a hill, the dawn light flooded her eyes and she tripped. She fell awkwardly, tumbling, falling, trying to reach for something to catch on, hitting her head. She felt the ashen one behind her, his life force stronger now. She tried to get up and managed to get to knees. She felt the edge of a ravine behind her, fast flowing rapids storming through. Just what she needed when the ashen one came to corner her.  
  
"Mary Lynette. It's me, Ash. Do you remember me?" He said timidly, edging into the clearing as if she was a wounded animal. He thought she was weak!  
  
"Of course I remember you, you idiot. I remember what it felt like when you tortured me, I remember how it felt when you killed me. Well I say to you, you shall not have that pleasure again!"  
  
A look of surprise crossed his face when she said 'killed' but it had no concern to her. She let herself fall backwards, away from the confusion, away from the pain, hearing only a mind splitting cry of pain and feeling nothing but air.  
  
She fell for a long time, or so it seemed. She hit the icy water on her back, paralysing her muscles on impact. She stayed on the bottom for several minutes then the buoyancy of her body pulled her to the surface once more. She came up spluttering and choking in the rapids, being tossed and beaten against rocks and gullies. An uprooted tree came down the river and hit her square in the back. Blood exploded into her vision. Her consciousness rapidly failed and she sunk into the warm blackness that surrounded her.  
  
  
  
Ash was running, following his instincts. She'd let herself fall into the ravine, obviously not aware that most vampires could probably survive something that would drown a human. Unless they were staked by a fallen tree. Or pinned to the bottom of a gully by the current. SHUT UP! he told himself. Everything is going to be fine. He repeated it over, trying to convince himself. He saw a black dot floating in the shallows of a small cove on his side of the river.  
  
  
  
MARY LYNETTE!  
  
He shouted, already moving towards it. He watched the dot elongate into a figure shape as he ran towards it, gaining arms legs and long red hair. He felt tears running down his face, what if she were dead? How would he go on?  
  
He leaped over a low hedge, his calves catching on it and sending him tumbling over the next field. Ash climbed down the bank and into the water, splashing and running towards her. He grabbed her facedown-form from the water and pulled it onto the bank. He turned her over and shook her, screaming her name.  
  
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE MARY LYNETTE. I WON'T ALLOW IT. I WON'T LET YOU GO WITHOUT ME!  
  
Her eyelids fluttered and she choked up several litres of water. When she opened her eyes and looked at him, what he saw was fear.  
  
She tried to squirm out of his grip immediately and he let her go. He was heartbroken. She pulled herself back on her good hand, Ash noticing the other impaled by a small sapling. When she was backed against a tree trunk and could retreat no further back, she stopped, exhausted. He sat down where he was and looked at her, despair in his eyes.  
  
Xanna was confused. She remembered falling into the churning water and soaking in the darkness. Why had the ashen one saved her? He eyed her with concern, eyes flicking to her left arm every once and a while. She looked at it with disgust and pulled out the twig. It would heal.  
  
"Why did you save me?" She looked up at him, completely uncomprehending his compassion for her. Perhaps he saved her only so that he could torture her again later, she thought. Ash thought on the question.  
  
"How much do you remember?" He asked carefully, not wanting to cause distress.  
  
"I remember waking up and seeing you obviously."  
  
"No, before that. Before you came to Briar's Creek. Before that." She grimaced, embarrassed, but held her head high.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing before you killed me. You took it all away with your games and tricks and .oh I don't remember, but I'll make you pay for what you stole." The ashen one looked honestly surprised at this and it confused her more.  
  
"I didn't kill you, Mary Lynette." He said quietly, almost to himself. "I couldn't hurt you at Briar's Creek, even when I knew you would kill me. I could never hurt you. I love you more than anything I've ever known." Xanna was silent for several minutes, thinking this over.  
  
"Why do you call me Mary Lynette, ashen one?"  
  
"Why do you call me ashen one?"  
  
"Because you have ash coloured hair, Ash Redfern and I cannot bear to speak the full name of my soul mate's killer often. Answer my question." Ash smiled, he'd never told her his full name. Perhaps there was hope for her yet.  
  
"Mary Lynette is your name. The name your parents chose for you when you were born." Ash left the topic of Tar well alone.  
  
"My parents." A distant look filled her eyes.  
  
"You don't remember anything do you? Your childhood, hobbies, school life, university courses, parents, sisters and your brother. It's all gone."  
  
For the first time since Tar had told Ash that he'd wiped her memory, Ash fully understood what Tar had meant. He hadn't just wiped the memory of her last few weeks, he'd taken everything. She had no concept of right or wrong and he doubted she even realised what a vampire was and how they were different than humans. No wonder she hated the world, she had no reason not to be. She'd never seen any good in the world and so how could she know the difference between right and wrong?  
  
She let a defiant tear roll down her cheek for all the memories that had been taken from her. Ash had said she could have them again and for the first time she tried calling them. She let herself slip deep within her soul, away from the riverbank, away from Ash and away from the waking world.  
  
She saw a little girl helping a boy over a style. The puff of flour as she clapped her hands together after making muffins on a summer afternoon. The manor house bathed in sunlight and a petite looking blond working in the garden with a teenage boy laughing and joking with her. An ash-blond boy running his hand down her face. A tall girl bringing hot chocolate to her when she'd stayed up too late studying. Walking up the steps to a porch to a door, turning back and seeing Ash there looking at her, grinning. The feel of his hands in her hair, the electrical magnatisim of his touch. She saw him walking away from her into the desert. She didn't want him to go. She called out to him, but he didn't seem to listen.  
  
The scenes shifted to a night sky and she was looking at the stars, picking out her favourite constellations. She could remember their names now. She was on the roof of a building when she turned and saw a figure emerge from the shadows. She breathed a sigh of joy; it was Tar, he had come back to her. She was seeing Tar again, but he didn't look pleased to see her. He gripped her face tightly and tilted it back. He stung her throat. She felt the life being pulled out of her like a whirlpool and the incredible pain of dying. She realised that she had been human when this had happened. The images came in flashes, him ravaging her, forcing her to drink his blood, laughing at her and telling him how she'd learn to love him. She had. She tried to back away, to get away from the pain.  
  
Ash watched the focus fall out of her eyes, her gaze focusing somewhere he couldn't see. She almost smiled. She frowned and began calling out.  
  
"Don't go Ash. Please don't leave. Don't leave me here alone."  
  
He crawled over to her and held her.  
  
"I'm right here, Mare. I haven't gone anywhere."  
  
He looked down at her face to see her smile replaced with horror and she started thrashing out at things only she could see. He tried to hold on to her, stop her from hurting herself, calling out to her to come back to him. Whatever it was she seeing, she didn't need to see it now. When she'd quieted, he began stroking her hair, as if by willing it, he could draw her out of her state and back to him. When she opened her eyes, they reminded him of Thierry's; they were full of sadness.  
  
"I'm so lost." She looked up at him.  
  
Ash's hand slipped for a moment from her hair to her shoulder and she jumped in shock.  
  
"Please don't touch me. Everything is confusing enough and when you touch me, it's like the whole goes insane."  
  
He pulled back and looked at her. She couldn't meet his gaze anymore and turned her head, trying to hide behind her shoulder. He lifted her up in his arms, almost glad she was still weak from her episode in the river and carried her towards the town she'd obviously been heading for.  
  
Ash reached the edge of town and took her into an abandoned hotel, setting her down on an old mattress. He led down next to her, cursing that he had no blankets to keep her warm. She's a vampire idiot, she won't feel the cold. He told himself. He put his arm around her waist and willed sleep to come.  
  
Xanna felt Ash put his arm around her and his breathing slow. She knew him as Ash now, knew that he loved her. She also knew that she loved him, in a strange type of way. The way his touch blurred her vision and the connection between them was different than between anyone else, even Tar. The problem was that she just simply couldn't remember him at all. It was to her as if some random person had met on the street and announced they wanted to spend their life with her.  
  
She was confused more than anything. She couldn't see why Tar would have lied to her, he had loved her and she had loved him. She had known that. She had felt that. Yet, she had the images of him hurting her, knowing now that it wasn't Ash who had hurt her, but Tar himself. This confused her more, as she'd felt she'd known Tar all her life. She plucked Ash's arm from her body and crawled out of his embrace. She curled up as close to the window as she could physically make herself get, feeling terribly claustrophobic. She bowed her head and let her body rest, even if her mind couldn't.  
  
I never forgot you completely Ash. Not really.  
  
She whispered almost to herself as she watched the rain patter against the window.  
  
Ash smiled in his dreams. 


	15. CHAPTER FIFTEEN : ALL THE WAY

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - ALL THE WAY  
  
"Thierry?"  
  
"Ash! How are you?"  
  
"Fine. It's Mary Lynette." Thierry was silent, letting Ash tell the story.  
  
"I've got her in an abandoned hotel on the edge of the town almost directly north of Briar's Creek. I'm not sure of the name."  
  
"How is she acting?"  
  
"Well, she's not really acting at all. We've only been here a couple of hours, but she seems to have calmed down somewhat. At least she's not trying to kill me anymore. She just seems so confused, so very confused. She's sleeping now."  
  
"Try and keep her calm, Ash. I'll send Quinn to get you in the plane. And try not to worry, concentrate on the present."  
  
She laid on the mattress, thinking. She was so confused. She wanted to remember who the people were from her dreams were but every time she tried, Tar tormenting came to the forefront of her mind. So close to his death, even knowing what she knew, she just couldn't deal with it and forced herself out of it. The way Ash looked at her drove her mad, like he'd known her for a lifetime already. The not knowing was irritating. She respected him, his persistency, his need to do the right thing. Nevertheless, although she felt more of a connection with him than anyone else she'd met, a feeling of closeness, every time he mentioned something of her past she felt isolated. She felt used and puzzled, and after what she'd done to Ash, how could she look at him without thinking about her memory of driving his head into her knee and laughing as his nose broke? How could she ever see past those memories. She knew that he was Ash Redfern and she loved him in a strange kind of way, but that was almost all she knew.  
  
The plane landed in the car park of the hotel and Ash went out to meet them. His sisters rushed out to greet him, followed by Mark. Rowan still had a bandage around her head as did Mark, Jade seemed hyperactive as usual, fully recovered from her time in the chest. Kestrel seemed the worst off, one arm in a sling and limping slightly.  
  
"How is she?" Rowan murmured.  
  
"Okay I think. She needs help. A lot of help."  
  
Rowan seemed to take the meaning of his tone and ushered everyone back into the plane. It was obvious that confronting the awful things she'd done quite so soon could very well tip her over the edge once more. Quinn followed Ash back to Mary Lynette and helped lift her sleeping form onto the plane. He sat in a small room on the plane alone with Mary Lynette, not wanting any unnecessary pain for her in this vulnerable state. She woke up after take off and looked at him watching her.  
  
"Why are we going to Thierry's mansion?" Ash looked puzzled.  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"You were thinking loudly. Answer the question."  
  
"So that you can rejoin your family."  
  
"The witches are here. I can hear them you know." Ash didn't seem to take her point and flickered his head towards the wall, straining to hear anything.  
  
"Not like that dummy. They're all thinking very loudly about meeting me again. They want to just huddle me off to Briar's Creek and consume me with their love and hope all this bad stuff will go away. I must admit your thoughts seem to echo theirs remarkably."  
  
He looked at her, trying to figure her out. Here was a fledgling vampire with telepathy far greater than him, being a Redfern lamia. He wondered if even Thierry would be able to contend with her.  
  
When the plane set down, Ash let everyone else file off and into the mansion before coaxing Mary Lynette out. She'd reverted back to her Xanna personality as he called it, but came without complaining. She eyed everything suspiciously, looking for escape routes and exits as she walked around the front of the house.  
  
"I feel their eyes on me. I feel their disapproval as they watch me walk up this drive." She said without looking at him.  
  
"Where are they?"  
  
"Fourth top window away from us."  
  
Ash said nothing.  
  
  
  
She was in a cage. They called it a suite, but her primitive instinctive was that it was a cage. They were confining her, limiting her, suppressing her. Various items in the room began to shake, the lamp jittered and fell off the table and several painting came off their hinges. How dare they, these vermin, these vermin worshippers contain her like this! Her fury came to it's peak as Ash came into the room. She knew there was a guard outside her room, she could hear his weak thoughts. Bored.Hungry.47 diamonds on the carpet.Bored. She couldn't see herself being stopped by a guard if she should want to leave  
  
Ash came into the room cautiously, in the same way he'd approached her when she'd tried to kill herself. He gave a momentail glance at the disarray in the room, but thought better of asking about it. He sat heavily on a chair and looked up several times as if to speak, but seemed to talk himself out of it before he started.  
  
"You don't have to watch over me you know. You pay a guard for that."  
  
He seemed hurt by her comment but followed her tone of voice and left. She watched the birds flying free outside the window and wished she could be there with them. She was so involved in her imagination of flying free on the wind that she didn't notice the vampire creep into her room behind her.  
  
"Am I disturbing you?" She spun around, surprised but not at all unexpected. She studied him.  
  
"I know you." She said, sitting back onto her chair. She cocked her head, watching him. "Tar knew you to." She whispered under her breath, unsure why she had said that.  
  
Thierry let the moment stand. "Thierry."  
  
"Yes that is I. But tell me, how do you know of me."  
  
"Darthanian used to speak of you all the time, about how he would kill you. He used to boast about how many of your soul mates he'd killed."  
  
Thierry nostrils flared briefly and he noted the way Xanna reacted the change, the way she read it easily.  
  
"I never thought you knew Darthanian. I was under the impression he was long dead."  
  
"Well that just shows in touch with the Night World you are doesn't it?" Let's cut to the chase shall we. What exactly do you want? Have you come to kill me? Or perhaps you've come to try and recover Tar's memories? He gave me a trust when he gave himself to me and I would rather die than betray it."  
  
Ash hadn't been kidding when he'd said she had a fiery temper.  
  
"What did Tar give you."  
  
"His life."  
  
"Well it couldn't have amounted to much." Thierry took a deep breath. He was deliberately provoking her. He just hoped he hadn't overstepped the mark.  
  
You just did  
  
He could feel her anger spill over and something else rising up within her, something evil. She dealt him a blow that made him waver, even if it was only mentally. His walls were bending.  
  
" Look Xanna, I came here to show you something, not fight with you. I'm sorry I just got caught up in the moment."  
  
"You're kidding." She stopped, intrigued by his rapid change of strategy.  
  
"Take my hand."  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not? Are you scared?" He paused. "Do you trust Ash?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Do you trust anyone?"  
  
"No one that's alive, no. Why are you keeping me here? I want to leave. I have relatives to meet."  
  
"Do you care for him at all?  
  
"No." Thierry raised an eyebrow at her. It was plainly obvious that she loved him, she just didn't know exactly how to act on those feelings. And relatives? Who were they?  
  
He held out his hand, willing her to take her own first step to recovery. She looked at him and felt himself being read. Not violently searching, just a gentle probing of one or two concerns. She placed her hand cautiously on top of his and Thierry used his vampiric power to let her see what Ash was doing right now. He was crying into Rowan's shoulder and she was trying to comfort him.  
  
"I just don't know what to do Rowan. I've tried everything. I've left her alone, I've given her company, I've been harsh, I've even been nice. It's the way she looks at me, the disgust and hate in her eyes cuts me in places I never thought existed. I'm so tired. I love her so much and I don't care what she's done as long as I can be with her. She hates me, Rowan. I don't know if I can hold together much longer. She's my soul mate for the Goddess's sake."  
  
"sshh Ash. We all miss her, especially you and Mark. We just have to give her time to adjust to what she's become. I seem to remember doing this before when you realised what a bad boy you'd been for all these years."  
  
Ash managed a small smile.  
  
Thierry let go of Mary Lynette's hand. Hannah had told him to appeal to her weakness, her emotions. If she truly had become a telepath as his provoking had confirmed, her emotions would overreact. He was hoping Ash's pain would give her a purpose, something to comfort and nurture, leaving everything else to the soul mate connection. He was gambling a lot, and he knew it.  
  
She now had tears falling down her cheeks and she turned towards the door. The guard turned to stop her but she gave him a mental slap around the face and he let her pass without a fight. She came to the door of the room where she knew Ash and Rowan were and listened to the pounding of her heart. She pushed the door open a few centimetres, then pushed it open all the way. 


	16. CHAPTER SIXTEEN : REUNION

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
  
  
CHAPTER SIXTEEN - REUNION  
  
Rowan looked up at the opening of the door and gasped at the sight of Mary Lynette in the doorway. She wasn't the school girl Mary Lynette she'd always known and she wasn't the huntress that had tried to kill her. She was just. just somewhere in between. Rowan allowed herself a small smile and because Ash hadn't noticed Mary Lynette's appearance, she whispered in his ear that he had a visitor. Ash twisted his head and simply stared at her presence. Mary Lynette looked poised to bolt at any moment, like a rabbit caught in headlights, but as Rowan detached herself from Ash and left through the far door, Mary Lynette cautiously entered the room.  
  
"I saw you, Ash. Thierry showed me. I didn't realise. I didn't know what to do, but I ended up here. I'm sorry." She cast her eyes down.  
  
"It doesn't seem fair to ask for your help right now, but I am." She continued, eyes flickering up to his face. "After all I've done to you, can you help me do something."  
  
"Anything." Ash wiped the remainder of his tears on the edge of his sleeve, ashamed to let her see him like this. He stood up from his crouched position, just for a moment scared of what she might do. She walked towards him slowly and stretched out a hand.  
  
Their fingers intertwined and she moved closer to him. When she was almost touching him, she widened her arms and embraced him. Ash was so surprised that for half a minute he didn't do anything but stare open mouthed at the piece of red hair in front of his face. He hugged her back with a fierce hunger and felt the blue fire engulfing them both.  
  
  
  
What Thierry showed me was that by protecting myself from my past, I'm hurting everyone around me. After seeing you like that, I don't think I can carry on like that. I need you to come with me. I don't think I can deal with this by myself.  
  
He mentally squeezed her hand, realizing how much pride she had had to let go of to say that to him and followed her deep into herself.  
  
He was stood on the roof on the university with her looking at the stars. She was lonely he realised; she missed him. His heart almost broke in that moment when he condemned himself, it was his fault she had been there in the first place. He felt the mental Mary Lynette take his hand and a kind of warmth flow into him.  
  
It's not your fault.  
  
He watched her memory self spin around, gasping when she saw Tar stalking towards her. Absolute terror froze her to the spot as Tar tilted her head back and bit into her neck. The mental Mary Lynette squeezed his hand tighter.  
  
Ash watched Mary Lynette rediscovering the memories of the three days of her disappearance. Tar raped her, used her and changed her, doing whatever he pleased with, whenever he pleased. Ash steamed with fury when Tar met her after she'd woken and fed her with hate for him. He watched Mary Lynette succumb to the blood bond and Tar's powerful telepathy. He watched Mary Lynette storm the manor house, holding her fast and making her accept the hard truths of what she'd done.  
  
When they arrived at the present day, he felt her slipping away from him, back into the past. It seemed that all Mary Lynette's memories were flowing into her, the damns of the swollen river now broken. At first she flinched with every memory, trying to isolate herself from the pain it caused, but soon as she started to embrace them, he saw her becoming whole once again. It was beautiful.  
  
He awoke in reality to find them collapsed on the floor, leaning forwards in each other's arms. He picked her up and carried her back into her own room, laying her on the bed, knowing her to be asleep. He turned to go, tell Thierry about everything.  
  
Don't leave me, Ash  
  
  
  
He walked back to the bed and cuddled up next to her. He just drew her into his arms as she recovered from watching her whole life over. He was going to have a hell of a hangover tomorrow.  
  
Ash woke up to find himself still clinging to Mary Lynette where he'd fallen asleep on the bed the night before. She was asleep still, but as he stirred to rise, she opened her eyes. Her eyes were filled with sadness once again. They filled with tears and she tried to push away from him.  
  
"How can you ever forgive me for what I've done, Ash. I tried to kill you. I tried to kill you and your sisters. Oh God, Mark. What have I done?"  
  
"It's alright, Mary Lynette. It's alright." He held her tightly, as if he could shield her from all the pain in the world by himself.  
  
"No, Ash, it's not alright." She got up from the bed, pulling away from him. "I'm a filthy stinking murderer and do you know what's worse. I enjoyed. I got high on the blood of the slain and I bathed in it. How can I ever get over this, stop thinking about what I felt when Tar touched me."  
  
She collapsed on the floor where she'd stood, choking out words between sobs.  
  
"Oh, Mare."  
  
Ash got off the bed and went to her. He didn't say anything. He just held her. He let her cry until the sun was well up in the sky.  
  
"Do you want to go downstairs? There'll be breakfast starting soon."  
  
She shook her head, eyes red.  
  
"How can I ever look at my sisters again. And Mark, I don't even know what to do. I still don't know why you still love me after the beast I've been to you." He took her hand and drew her up from the floor. He wiped her eyes gently. "Because we're soul mates, you and I. I'll love you no matter what you do and no matter where you go." She raised her hand to his face.  
  
"Mare, you were never evil. I've been thinking. Why didn't you kill Mark? Why just tie him up?" " I.I don't know. I just didn't want to."  
  
" See, Mare. You didn't want to because he's your brother. No matter what your mind said, deep down you knew who he was. Just the same with me and my sisters. You left each of us on the brink of death, but you never overstepped the mark."  
  
Mary Lynette managed a poke a small smile out of hiding.  
  
"Now that you're back to yourself, I think we should go downstairs. You have to face them sometime, Mary Lynette; it might as well be now." She tried to draw back from his arms and stay in her room.  
  
"I don't want to Ash."  
  
Ash coaxed her out of the room, or perhaps dragged is a better word. He stopped in front of the dining room door. Most of the Daybreakers ate here, mainly as company to their human counter parts. He opened the door and gripping her hand tightly, pulled her inside. She tried to cower behind him as everyone's faces turned towards her. She could feel their eyes on her, burning her ears. She sat down reluctantly on a seat gestured to her by Ash trying to hide her head from the eyes that bore down on the back of her neck.  
  
"Stop worrying."  
  
She looked up at him and tried to concentrate on buttering a piece of bread she knew she wouldn't eat. In small groups, the Daybreakers left, but she noticed that the group from Briar's Creek showed no signs of moving. When they were the only ones left in the room, she saw them begin to get up. She found Ash's hand under the table and gripped it until she thought she might break it if she held it any tighter. Ash shoved her out of her chair and she found herself stood up to greet them.  
  
She tried to back away, but finding Ash's solid form behind her was like finding a wall behind her. She saw the scar running down Mark's face and felt tears forming in her eyes. She saw the bruises on Kestrel's head and knew they were falling. She saw the bite mark on Rowan's neck and tried to loosen her grip on Ash's hand so she could run far away, anywhere but here. She felt Jade's claustrophobia of sealed rooms and felt her cheeks growing hot.  
  
Please don't make me do this Ash. I'm begging you.  
  
You're not doing this. We're doing this, remember?  
  
Mary Lynette looked back at him, solid, secure and impossible to read. The witches had stopped about five metres away from her and Ash, like a confrontation of enemies. She could no longer see them clearly for the tears flooding her eyes.  
  
"I'm . so . sorry." She managed to stutter out between sobs. She surely would have collapsed had Ash not been holding her so tightly. The witches exchanged glances between themselves and then they were all over her.  
  
Everyone was hugging and kissing her, thanking the Goddess she was alright and offering prayers of thanks. She felt as light as a feather as if, by magick, all her troubles had been healed.  
  
"Welcome home sister." Mark said in her ear, hugging her tighter. Ash looked slightly detached from the group hug and Mary Lynette pulled herself away slightly and dragged him in.  
  
"You're a part of this family, Ash Redfern. Whether you like it or not." Mary Lynette pulled him to her and kissed him. 


	17. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN : EPILOGUE

DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the Nightworld characters and I don't make any money. Yes I know I should get out more. I do however own a sexy vampire called Tar, so hands off!  
  
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED AND BEGGED FOR!!  
  
EPILOGUE  
  
Mary Lynette pulled back from the hug and stood alone, knowing what she had to say.  
  
"I didn't come down here to say hello, despite everything I found. I came to say goodbye to you all."  
  
She could feel Ash's heart plummet and her brother's heart begin to pound. She could sense the distress of her sisters also.  
  
"I'm leaving. I have some loose ends to tie up on the coast. Or more precisely bury, I haven't decided yet."  
  
"I'll go with you." Ash said automatically.  
  
"You once asked me to wait for you Ash, while you went and explored who you had become. All I'm asking for is that same chance. No more, no less. There's something inside of me, something that Tar gave me before he died. Something that's hard to explain. Thierry doesn't know what it is and neither do I. I have to know."  
  
"At least let me get you some things, clothes, food, anything."  
  
She raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I think I can remember a good meals on wheels across town."  
  
Mary Lynette noticed Mark was the only one to smile at her poor attempt at humor.  
  
"I came with nothing and I'll leave with nothing. I'm travelling light."  
  
She walked out to the front door of the mansion, feeling everyone turn and follow her. She turned back and hugged each of them in turn, murmuring words of reassurance to each, but saving Ash till last. They stood silently for a moment and he moved and took her in his arms for one last time.  
  
Don't be too long.  
  
She kissed him hard and fast, not wanting to tempt herself to stay. There were tears in everyone's eyes.  
  
"Goodbye, Ash Redfern." She said, waving a hand in farewell as she strolled down the driveway.  
  
"I'll be waiting, Mary Lynette." Ash said under his breath, almost to himself.  
  
Mary Lynette heard. She smiled to herself and kept walking.  
  
**************************  
  
Yes that's the end of FORGOTTEN and there must be something seriously wrong if you've read all the way to the end. Thanks to all the people who reviewed, it really means a lot to see that little review button flashing at the bottom of the screen after a crap day. A special thanks go to pracitcalmagik for continued support. God, I know I must really need help as I'm already thinking about some ideas for a sequel, of a sequel. Sounds kinda dumb really, I suppose I should call it a trilogy. Well, tell me what you think. I've got a couple of chapters down for the next book, but do you think it's worth doing more or should I just let it end like this. Face it, do you want to know what happens to Mary Lynette when she confronts her *relatives* on the coast? Will Ash wait around patiently or will he go after her (YAY). Well farewell, and until our next meeting, Goodbye. 


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